The Queen’s tournament has two available wildcard spots for doubles pairings, with one specifically allocated to a duo featuring either a former top-ranked global player, a Grand Slam victor from the last decade, or an athlete currently ranked within the top 30.
In 2022, Williams expressed a dislike for the term “retirement,” opting instead to describe her departure from professional tennis as “evolving away.”
Her match against Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in the third round of the 2022 US Open was widely believed by the public to be her last competitive appearance, a match which she did not win.
Prior to this, Williams had advanced to the semi-finals of the Australian Open in the preceding year and secured her final Grand Slam singles championship in Melbourne in 2017 when she was 35 years old.
The possibility of her comeback has been a subject of considerable discussion for several months, often linked with various interviews she gave regarding her recent weight reduction.
During the previous year, Williams informed the American television program ‘Today Show’ that she had shed 31 pounds (14 kilograms) across an eight-month period.
She explained that she viewed her excess weight as a “rival.” She mentioned on the program that even though she was “training for five hours daily” and engaging in activities such as “running, walking, cycling, and ascending stairs,” she felt compelled to “explore an alternative approach.”
While Williams refrained from disclosing the specific weight loss medication she utilized, it was noted that she had recently commenced a role as a spokesperson for Ro, a firm that offers GLP-1 medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound (marketed as Mounjaro in the United Kingdom) via its weight management initiatives. Her spouse, Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit, also holds an investment in the company.
Williams shared that she was now observing positive results from her rigorous exercise regimen, was preparing for a half-marathon, and had achieved “running distances greater than ever before.”
During a subsequent conversation on the Today Show in January, she indicated that she would “wait and see” regarding a potential comeback.
